Evaluate two health websites using a rubric you created or found with a search engine. Score the website using the rubric. What were the strengths and limitations? Discuss your findings.

Choose a smartphone application that is used to manage and monitor a chronic health condition.
Create a 10-15 slide (excluding title & reference pages) PowerPoint presentation. The slideshow must be visually compelling.

Reference chapter 6 for information on creating a scholarly PowerPoint presentation.
Describe the application and its features related to usability (page 242-243)
How does the application empower the consumer to manage their condition?
Describe the educational components of the application
What are the advantages and limitations of the application?
Include speaker notes to describe the ideas on the slides.

This is the page from the textbook. (page 242-243)
The website design should allow for use of a screen reader for persons with limited eyesight. Elementary screen readers are bundled with operating systems; for example, Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems both have accessibility features with speech recognition. However, full-function screen readers are best for those with limited vision. The bundled screen readers, however, can help a visually challenged person install a screen reader. Besides translating text to speech, some screen readers can send information to a Braille reader placed near or under the keyboard (American Foundation for the Blind, 2018). Users then use their fingers to “read” the information.

Screen readers have vastly improved from earlier times when they could not interpret tables; however, considerations for alternatives to using the mouse, such as keyboard commands for navigation, are still necessary. Use text alternatives (called Alt tags ) for graphics because screen readers cannot “read” a graphic. The tag should provide either textual information used by a screen reader in place of the illustration or a link to a site that explains the illustration in text. If there are clickable spots on a graphic (known as an image map ), make provisions for finding these links using a screen reader. Navigation bars or graphical bars across the top of a page that provide multiple choices also need alternative methods of access.

Red–Green color blindness, which affects 8% of males of Northern European descent and about 0.5% of females, can interfere with reading a web page, whereas the hearing disabled will miss any audio. Blinking items on a web page or quick changes from dark to light can cause seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy (CDC, 2017, August 3; NEI, 2015, February). For additional information about web design and the Internet Consortium (W3C) guidelines on flashing on websites visit Web Design| Epilepsy Action at https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/photosensitive-epilepsy/web-design

Usability
When health websites were evaluated by both usability experts and older adults, they agreed on many problem areas such as difficulty finding drop-down menus, too much information on the screen, too small a font size, lack of instructions for playing video, and navigation problems (Nahm et al., 2004). To avoid usability issues, a sampling of the intended audience should review the website; their feedback will allow you to identify and correct any problems. Although healthcare providers can evaluate the web content, the intended audience should conduct the usability testing. The National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health have published guidelines on how to make a website senior friendly (National Institute on Aging & National Library of Medicine, 2002). Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a website dedicated to assist web designers to address usability issues (HHS.gov, 2018, January 4).

CASE STUDY

The nursing student is conducting a community assessment, which is an assignment for a Community Nursing course. Assessment of health literacy is one of the components for the community assessment.

What populations are at risk for low health literacy?
What are three indicators for low health literacy?
Who is responsible for improving the health literacy in the community?
How can healthcare providers assist clients with low health literacy?

SUMMARY

The field of consumer informatics has developed along with the empowerment of the healthcare consumer. Consumers now have access to information that was previously unavailable such as the quality of care provided by hospitals and disease conditions. As consumers use the web more and more to find information, their relationship with healthcare providers will change. As this continues, healthcare providers must pay greater attention to how health literacy and health numeracy affect the teaching of clients.

Nurses must direct clients to high-quality websites with healthcare information and provide guidance for selecting support groups as ways to improve healthcare. By using patient portals, healthcare agencies provide more consumer education, some of it restricted to and individualized for their clients. These portals also serve as a marketing device.

Whether you design a website or a patient portal, you should use the design principles, as well as those in health literacy and health numeracy, to evaluate the appropriateness for clients. Websites with health information should be accessible to clients with disabilities. The intent of sites with healthcare information is to empower consumers to take an active part in their care to improve outcomes and quality of life.

APPLICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES

1.The fact that only slightly more than half the people who have found health information on the web discussed the information with their healthcare provider is somewhat disturbing.

Discuss the following statements:

a. Patients are leery of discussing information with their healthcare providers versus just listening to advice.

b. Patients are afraid to take a more participatory approach to their healthcare.

c. Reluctance to discuss information found on the web affects an individual’s decision to follow the provider’s treatment plan.

2.You are the nurse in a surgical center. A patient arrives with a printout of the complications of the surgery for which he or she is scheduled. Additionally, the information advocates alternative treatments. Discuss how you can work with this patient.

3.Find a high-quality web-based support group for a client with a condition of your choice and outline how you would teach the client about this site.

4.You are a nurse practitioner. The clinic where you are working wants to institute providing an online support group. What things would you want to consider?

5.Evaluate two health websites using a rubric you created or found with a search engine. Score the website using the rubric. What were the strengths and limitations? Discuss your findings.

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